Chapter 10 #2
“I want them to be for veterans, even active duty that are on break. I have a shit ton of money that I don’t need, from the family, and from my art, so I’m going to use it for good.
I’m not going to charge them, and they can come with their families, and pay it forward in other ways.
But this place let me breathe for the first time in too many years.
” I met Flynn’s gaze, knowing that Cale and Weston probably had questions of their own. “I need to do something.”
“You’re a good man, Hudson,” Flynn whispered before he hugged me tightly, and I shoved him off.
“So we’re really not going to talk about Scarlett?” Weston asked, and I just shook my head, a smile playing on my face.
“No. Because I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing.”
“Michelle was really the last person that I know you talked about, so I don’t know if I’ve ever really seen you date”
Cale rappelled down the cliff face again and landed softly on the ground in front of us.
“Michelle? Do I know a Michelle?”
Weston winced. “Sorry, bro.”
“Did I step in something? There’s so many of you, and you have detailed layers of secrets, that sometimes I step in it.” Cale shook his head. “Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. Michelle was my ex. We dated in high school, and then when I decided not to go to college right away and joined the army, I ended up deployed more often than not. It didn’t work out between me and Michelle.”
“I’m sorry about that. Truly. And thank you for your service,” Cale tacked on, looking awkward.
I felt just as awkward. I didn’t know what I was supposed to say when people mentioned that. It wasn’t as if I felt like I had done anything. I was trying to do things now though, and I guess that’s what mattered.
And I didn’t add that I wasn’t with Michelle because she had cheated.
And then she was dead. I couldn’t just say those words.
It was Weston’s turn to climb, and then my own, and by the end of the day, I had a few cuts and bruises, but I felt lighter than I had in weeks.
It was good to get out into the mountain air, to just breathe for the first time. Spring would hit hard soon, and then summer, and I’d be working as usual.
I had a few projects in town that I needed to do, since Ms. Patty had roped me into more than one mural. And I would get it done. I would do anything for Ms. Patty.
She’d been the one to give me my first cup of coffee when I had moved to town, still in a sling, and glared at anybody who tried to talk to me. She’d ignored my barking, handed me coffee, patted my good shoulder, and told me I could come down from the mountains when I was ready.
I’d loved that woman, and all her gossip. Because while I had ignored my brothers, and pushed them away if they tried to feed me or give me anything, Ms. Patty had forced herself onto my land, driving her own four-wheel drive truck, in order to give me frozen meals and home baked food.
Then others had joined in, and my siblings and even my mother had done their best.
But it had been Ms. Patty who had been a force of nature. And she still was.
We made our way back down the trail, our guys’ afternoon surprisingly peaceful. It wasn’t that I disliked people in general, it was that I liked being alone. I wasn’t lonely, I was happy and content in solitude.
Flynn and Weston were up front, talking about Weston’s upcoming expansion, and I ended up in the back with Cale. Cale wasn’t an outdoorsman by any stretch of the word, but he was trying, and he seemed like he was enjoying himself.
“You doing okay?” I asked, knowing that if I accidentally broke something on Sophia’s husband, I would hear about it forever.
“I’m doing fine. I’ve only tripped twice today.” He tripped again, and I reached out and caught him. “Sorry about that.” He ripped his arm from my hand, and I knew he had to be embarrassed. Hell, I tripped all the time, but me saying that would just embarrass him further.
“I know you said that you and Sophia wouldn’t be coming up to Cage Lake often, but we can still figure out a house for you to stay at that’s yours. My dad was an asshole, we all know it. You guys deserve a place.”
Cale gave me a look I couldn’t quite read, and he shook his head. “Sophia spends most of her time with the girls or at the dance studio. And I’m traveling often. While having a place to relax would be nice, I don’t think she would want a handout.”
I frowned, knowing that I was probably walking on murky ground here. But it wasn’t my decision. And maybe the group chat had more to say. Not that I was going to have any part of it.
I just nodded, and we made our way down the path to our respective cars.
Cale would be heading to Sophia and spending one more night here.
Flynn was going home to Denver, and Weston was going back to his place.
He and Isabella would be traveling with the others and soon Cage Lake would be a few less Cages.
Harper and Dorian were already in Denver, working on one of his clubs, and now that I thought about it, I might be the only Cage left for a little while.
I didn’t know why that bummed me out. It never used to.
I made it home and figured I would go back to the studio and work, or maybe text Scarlett just to see how she was doing.
That was odd of me, but then again, I could still taste her on my lips. She had been working nonstop since our bike ride, and though we had texted and talked a few times on the phone, we hadn’t spent much time together. Maybe that needed to change.
Of course I needed to figure out what the hell I wanted first. That would probably be a good thing.
My phone buzzed, and part of me hoped it was Scarlett, but when I saw my agent’s name on the readout, I groaned.
“Yes?”
“It’s about time you answered. Now I’ve given you enough space, but you have to be at the show next weekend. It’s in your contract, and I really don’t want to have to play mean agent, but I need you to pretend that you can be sociable even if it’s just for thirty minutes.”
I had been avoiding this show and what it meant for months now.
A high-end art dealer had found one of my pieces, and now I was starting to get a little more recognition.
I hadn’t been lying when I said I didn’t need money.
I got top dollar for my pieces, and if the rest of the town knew what I was making for the pieces that I sold through my agent, they would probably think twice about asking me to make so many murals.
I paused in that thinking. No, Ms. Patty would probably ask me to make more.
I snorted at that, and my agent finally snapped.
“This isn’t funny, Hudson. I know you hate doing these, but I need you for just this once. Please. I don’t ask you for much.”
That was true. My agent was actually pretty accommodating. And I knew my success was helping him. Maybe Scarlett was right and I needed to stop acting like an asshole all the time. And that made me think. The whole weekend? Maybe getting out of Cage Lake would be good, and not just for me.
“I’ll be there.”
“Did I hear that right? No, don’t answer that. I’m just going to go with a yes, and then I’m going to dance when we’re off the phone.”
My lips twitched. “Okay then. Just email me all the details?”
“Done. Thank you. You’re not going to regret this. Well, you might later, but I don’t care.”
That made me laugh. “I get to bring someone, right?” I blurted.
My agent was silent enough for long enough that I was afraid the call had ended. “Yes. Your family?”
“No, I don’t really know if I want to deal with all of my family at this. Then it will be a thing in the news.”
I knew that my agent liked press, but the Cage family press when it came to my dad’s death and the will and everything that came with it wasn’t exactly the press we needed. Plus I liked making things work on my own, rather than on my name.
“That makes sense. Though your family is pretty great.”
“They’re okay,” I said with a laugh.
“Did you just laugh? And you’re asking if you can bring someone that’s not a family member? Hudson Cage, are you seeing someone?”
I cursed under my breath and wondered why I had even said a damn thing. “Don’t make it a big deal. We’re not really seeing each other. I just want to take someone that’s not Cage-like. And you’re the one who wants me to do this show. Don’t make it weird.”
“I promise I’ll be on my best behavior. Maybe.
But don’t worry you can bring the whole family if you want, you don’t have a set number of tickets.
But the show’s sold out otherwise, and I’m excited for you.
” He paused, and I felt like squirming. “I’m happy for you.
As long as this doesn’t affect your art in a bad way. ”
That made me burst out laughing, exactly what my agent wanted me to do, since he wasn’t one of those critiquing types who wanted me to be the starving or broken artist in order to produce things.
Instead he usually just let me be.
“Send me the details. I’ll see you next week.”
“Yes. And your date.”
I hung up without saying anything and had to wonder if I was just setting this up for failure. I hadn’t even asked her yet.
Phone still in hand, I texted her, hitting my large fingers on the tiny little buttons.
Me
I have a damn art show that I have to go to in Denver next week.
Me
I know it’s the days you have off.
Me
Come with me.
Not exactly romantic, but I wasn’t into romance. And I wasn’t sure Scarlett was either.
And I hadn’t truly asked her, more like ordered. Then again, maybe she liked that.
She didn’t answer right away, and I figured she was either working, or ignoring me. Maybe I would just go down to her house later and annoy her in person.
My phone buzzed again, and I looked down at the readout, wondering if it was one of the one hundred family group chats.
It was. There were four new texts from them, and also one text that I was actually going to read.
Scarlett
Well. That’s out of the blue. But okay. Is it overnight?
It didn’t need to be, we could drive up late at night, but I had a feeling that’s not what either of us wanted.
Me
I’ll get us a nice hotel. Sorry, but there’s only going to be one bed.
There, putting my intentions out there. Like an idiot.
Scarlett
I guess I’ll have to figure out what to pack. If anything.
And with that, my cock pressed against my pants, and I groaned.
She-devil of a woman.
That was probably why I liked her so much.
I slid my phone in my pocket and whistled under my breath as I made my way to my studio.
Maybe I was making a mistake, but at least I would have fun along the way.